Coco Gauff’s title defense at the US Open came to an abrupt end as she fell to fellow American Emma Navarro in a match filled with errors, while Frances Tiafoe kept American hopes alive with a victory over Alexei Popyrin.
Gauff, a third-ranked player, suffered a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 defeat in the fourth round. Her performance was marred by 19 double faults—equal to her total in the first three matches—along with 60 unforced errors. The 20-year-old’s exit means she remains the last woman to defend the US Open title since Serena Williams in 2014.
Navarro, who made her way to the quarterfinals, reflected on her progress, noting, “I lost in the first round the last two years and now to be making the quarterfinals is pretty insane.” She is set to face Spain’s Paula Badosa next.
The tournament has seen early exits for notable players, including defending men’s champion Novak Djokovic and 2022 winner Carlos Alcaraz. Gauff commented, “I gave it my all… there were things execution-wise… I wish I could serve better.”
On a brighter note for U.S. tennis, Tiafoe achieved a milestone by reaching the quarterfinals, joining the ranks of American champions like Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, and Pete Sampras. He triumphed over Popyrin with a score of 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 2-6, 6-3 and will meet Grigor Dimitrov in the next round. Tiafoe expressed his excitement about competing at Arthur Ashe Stadium, a venue he idolized growing up.
Dimitrov advanced by overcoming Russian sixth seed Andrey Rublev, while Alexander Zverev moved forward after defeating Brandon Nakashima. Zverev will meet Taylor Fritz, who secured his spot in the quarterfinals by ousting Casper Ruud.
In women’s singles, Paula Badosa claimed her first quarterfinal berth with a dominant win over China’s Wang Yafan, and second seed Aryna Sabalenka advanced by defeating Elise Mertens, setting her up to face Zheng Qinwen or Donna Vekic in the next round.